Poverty Measures: Opportunity or Distraction?

Starting in 2004, almost all provinces and territories, several regions and municipalities, and the federal government have released poverty reduction strategies or discussion papers. Initially, the willingness of governments to develop plans focused on poverty reduction was met with enthusiasm from communities and advocates who had long demanded them. As time passed, it became clear that having these plans was not enough to drive the expected actions and investments. Today, as some governments embark on the renewal of their strategies and others catch up, a consensus has formed on the need for poverty reduction strategies to include clear measurements.

As governments assess and regroup their poverty reduction plans, it is critical to keep focus on the real issue at hand: addressing poverty. This paper puts forward five recommendations for how to use targets, indicators, and evaluations to fuel action and investments on poverty reduction.